1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to packaging of computing systems and more particularly to packaging of large computing systems that include one or more central electronic complexes (CECs).
2. Description of Background
Increased packaging density continues to challenge the computer system developers. This is true of all computing system environments, whether they are comprised of a single small unit or a plurality of systems networked to one another. In large and complex system environments, however, these problem associated with increased density become even more of a concern. This is because in more complex environments, the size of the environment multiplies the number of issues to be resolved. In addition, in large environments resolution of all problems, even seemingly isolated ones, are codependent on other existing factors in the environment, especially when different components in the environment are packaged together in a single assembly or networked in close proximity. Consequently, the designers of such environments are faced with increasingly difficult challenges, especially where the design requires the environment to be housed in a predefined system footprint. Two of the more difficult challenges to resolve are the issues of heat dissipation and structural integrity of the environment.
The designers of computing environments have utilized unique approaches in order to maximize air-cooling capabilities within a predefined system footprint. This requirement results from the heat dissipated from packages residing in large computing systems and how it affects the computing system's internal areas adjacent to heat producing components that can affect both electrical and structural integrity of the system as a whole. In addition, many large computing environments incorporate one or more large central electronic complexes (CECs) to support logic entities, such as daughter cards, modules and the like, whereby mid-plane boards have historically been vertically mounted (in reference with the ground plane).
Unfortunately, in such systems, the designs that address structural rigidity issues of the environment do not always provide an acceptable solution to the challenges posed by heat dissipation. This is because in such designs, the mid-plane orientation within the CEC is particularly important in minimizing adverse dynamic loading effects. In doing so, however, the configuration orientation impedes efficient-air cooling approaches, such as the simple front to back cooling using an omega form air flow pattern.
Current prior art solutions are not able to address the many problems that challenges, such as that of heat dissipation and dynamic loading effects of such large computing environments in a single design. Therefore, it is desirous to have an assembly that addresses actuation, structural issues and dynamic loading issues of the current systems without affecting thermal management and other seemingly isolated issues that have a great impact on one another and the overall performance of any large computing system environment, especially those that include one or more CECs.